Players Amateur competitors find homes away from home

Since the Players Amateur moved from Belfair Plantation last year, the staff at Berkeley Hall has encouraged the community's homeowners to open their doors to contestants who need a place to stay during the tournament.

Wayne and Kathy Corley and Tom and Paulette Henderson were among the first families that volunteered to house players in 2012. In fact, the Hendersons enjoyed it so much they decided to house three golfers this year.

“We have three bedrooms,” Paulette Henderson said. “We did it last year and enjoyed it very much. We wanted to do it again. They’re such nice young men.”

Having empty bedrooms is anything but normal for the couple, whose four daughters have grown up and moved away from home.

“Having three full bedrooms wasn’t really a new experience other than the fact that it has been a while since all four girls lived with us,” Paulette Henderson said.

Last year, the couple hosted returning competitor and University of Virginia student Ji Soo Park and Temple University graduate Andrew Mason. This year, the Hendersons welcome Geoff Drakeford from Australia, Compton Pikari from New Zealand and Tom Lovelady from Alabama.

The Corleys are hosting Michael Weaver, a rising senior at the University of California, for the second consecutive year.

“I think Michael found himself at home. He said in a text a couple weeks ago that he was looking forward to seeing Wayne, Rosebud (the family’s parrot) and me,” Kathy Corley said, laughing. “That was the order.”

The couple enjoyed tracking Weaver’s progress at last year’s Players Amateur and even continued doing so after Weaver left their home. Weaver went on to compete in the 2012 U.S. Amateur Championship at Cherry Hills Country Club in Colorado — a tournament the Corleys followed closely.

“One of the perks associated with being a host family is that historically a number of these young men, whether they win here or not, go on to bigger and better things,” Wayne Corely said. “In our case, it was extremely exciting because Michael actually led the U.S. Amateur up until the 18 th hole when his putt got diverted.”

Weaver led the tournament and had a two-stroke lead going into the 36th hole. He saw a putt lip out, forcing a playoff Weaver lost to Steven Fox. Weaver’s play last year earned him a spot at the Masters and the U.S. Open, where he made the cut.

In the NCAA tournament this year, Weaver led his top-seeded California Golden Bears against the University of Illinois — Kathy Corley's alma matter. The Fighting Illini pulled off the upset, ending Weaver's season in the semifinals.

“I sent him a text message — the only text he hasn’t responded to — and said ‘Michael, I love my Illini, but how did this happen?’” she said jokingly.

With Berkeley Hall set to host the Players Amateur for the next several years, the Corleys and Hendersons plan to continue hosting these top-ranked amateur golfers in the future.

“Generally speaking, one of the things I think is most impressive is that these young men are really nice,” Wayne Corley said. “They are very respectful. They bend over backwards to be accommodating. When you’ve got people like that that you’re hosting, how could you not enjoy it and look forward to it?”

“It has been a real pleasure hosting,” Paulette Henderson said. “And we’ll do it again next year.”